Out to Eternity
by MoeMoeWordWord
Summary: Captain William Turner, doomed to ferry the souls due to the infidelity of his wife, finds a survivor among a shipwreck. ON HIATUS
1. Maiden Voyage

_**Out to Eternity**_

Maiden Voyage

Flames engulfed the sinking ship. Masts toppled as their supports were burned to ash, creating swells of waves which crested over the modeled wood of the sailing vessel. A ghastly ship looked onward as the crew of the caving in _Serpent's Fang_ began to sink towards the crushing depths of the sea floor. The captain of the audience ship, William Turner, watched with cold, hard eyes.

William was cursed to ferry the souls of those lost at sea to the other side for all eternity. He did not believe he would be doing this job for so long when he had first begun. His betrothed, Elizabeth Swann, had agreed to meet him after ten years of servitude aboard the _Flying Dutchmen_. On the agreed upon day, he sailed to the island of Isle de Tropi and waited on the sandy beach where he had given Elizabeth the chest which contained his heart. He waited there all day, with no signs of his beloved or the chest. As the sun set, Will realized the one woman whom he had ever loved, the mother of his child, had abandoned him.

Fifteen years had passed since he'd been doomed to his fate. His son, William Turner III, would be a grown man by now. Abigail, Elizabeth's second child, would turn seventeen that year. Will's heart had turned to ice and he did not trust a soul. His father, William Turner Sr., had watched his son slowly sink into despair as time passed. The crew of the _Dutchmen_ also noticed the change in their captain's step. While none of them spoke of it, there was a fear that William would become like the previous captain, Davy Jones. Jones, when left by Calypso, had become so enraged that he neglected his duties. As retribution, he became a mix of human, undead, and nautical flora and fauna- as did his entire crew.

But for all the years the crew had been serving on the _Dutchmen_, they had never had such a great captain as Will. He kept to his duty as captain and ferried the souls to their final resting place even after Elizabeth's betrayal. He never mistreated his crewmen. He was always friendly and never harsh or unfair. If there were disputes among the men, he always settled them fairly and without bias. The brig, which had been used frequently under Jones, had become a place where the souls could rest before they arrived at their destination.

The _Serpent's Fang_ was now only floating debris. Will steered the _Flying Dutchmen_ to the remains of the destroyed ship. Bodies were strewn about; some in pieces, others barely being held together. The _Serpent's Fang_ had been attacked by marauders. Unfortunately for the passenger ship, the marauders believed that they were flying false colours. So, without mercy or warning, they opened fire on the poorly armed ship.

The _Dutchmen_'s crew gathered the souls and showed them to their quarters. Will stared blankly at the wreckage. Almost nothing remained of the vessel. The objects left on the surface were either burning or in the process of sinking. His gaze wondered over a rectangular piece of the ship's top deck. It was not burning and on it's surface was a body. Had his crew missed a soul?

"Mr. Turner," he called, summoning his father, "is that not another to bring to the locker?" Will asked. William Sr. stopped herding the spirits towards the second deck and walked to his son's side. The man's eyes followed to where his son was looking and frowned.

"Will, my son, that one is not dead." He answered. Will blinked, looking to his father. The elder man shook his head. Raising his hand, Will shouted.

"We have a survivor! Take a boat!" He commanded. There was a 'yes sir!' from a few in the crew as five or six began to undo one of the smaller longboats.

Four men rowed out to the survivor. They hauled the person into the boat with care, quickly dressing the wounds they could with strips of cloth. After returning to the _Dutchmen_, the person was lifted onto the top deck. As the dingy was being secured, Will, his father, and the crew who were awaiting orders made a circle around them. William Sr. grabbed their wrist and pressed his thumb to the underside, holding still for a moment.

"It's weak, but there's a pulse. He's still alive." He then leaned down, pressing his ear to their chest. His face turned troubled. He sat up and looked at his son.

"Not breathing, Captain Turner." Will's brow furrowed. He quickly knelt down next to the fading survivor. He also checked for breathing and when he found none, repositioned near his face. He pushed down hard and swift fifteen times on their solar plexus. He then tilted their head back, closed their nostrils with his calloused fingers, and breathed into their mouth after cementing his lips to theirs.

Repeating this process, Will was forced back as the survivor heaved and coughed up the water that had been in there lungs. William Sr. helped the boy sit up, hitting his back to help get the water out. After emptying his lungs, he quickly refilled them with air.

"You're lucky to still be alive, son." William Sr. said, a small smile on his lips. The boy turned to look at William. Their jade green eyes pierced the wise man.

"You're..." William started, but was stopped when the boy spoke.

"Thank you for saving me." He said, his voice not as gruff as those around him. He was wearing simple cloths and wasn't too dirty. But he wasn't in deep colours expected of those who travel on passenger ships like the _Serpent's Fang_.

"You're a stowaway, aren't you?" Will said, finally speaking up. The boy turned his attention to Will, who was also struck silent by the brilliance of this stranger's eyes. The green eyes had turned suspicious and narrowed at Will.

"Who might you be?" He asked sharply, his words quick and pointed. Will, becoming angered at this boy's superior tone, bit the inside of his cheek.

"It's rude to ask for another's name before giving your own." Will answered curtly. The boy scowled.

"Riley Sterling." Will, accepting this as a small victory, smirked and stood.

"I'm the captain of this ship." He offered his hand to Riley. Riley stared at the fingers smudged with dirt and water but clasped it with his hand. The boy's hands were soft and much lighter than Will's skin. He helped Riley to his feet.

"My name is William Turner. Welcome aboard the_ Flying Dutchmen._"


	2. Coming in to Port

Out to Eternity : Coming in to Port

The night was cool. The sky was a dark navy and the stars twinkled and winked like a barmaid. Riley stared up at the stars, found the North Star, and discovered they were sailing east. Frowning, Riley pulled out a key from a chain around her neck. She sighed, dropping it back down near her bindings.

Riley had been a part of the sea ever since she could remember. Her parents had traded her to a man at a fish market for food and never came back for her. She didn't hold a grudge. She always thought of it as a blessing. Riley couldn't imagine any other life for her than one on the sea.

When she was around three or four, Riley was put to work on the wharf. She helped dock boats, learned every knot and curse word known to man, and became one of the best people to have on any sailing vessel. The only problem Riley ever faced was her gender.

Many a man believed that having a woman aboard was bad luck. When she was young, it was no problem. She could just wear boys clothes and keep her hair short. But soon she didn't even have to wear her hair short when long hair became popular for men. However, as her hair grew longer, she was also developing as a woman.

Unfortunately for Riley, she was an early bloomer. When she was twelve she had to begin binding her chest. Although she had to hide her identity, Riley wouldn't want it any other way. She was always on a dock or a ship of some sort.

Riley was brought back to the present by a loud burst of drunken laughter. She glanced over her shoulder at the door which led to the mess hall. The rest of the crew was having what seemed to be a nightly party. There were songs being sung from off-key crewmen.

Riley smiled gently. She grabbed at the front of her shirt and fluttered it. The air was refreshing and crisp against her clammy skin. She wished she could unwrap her bindings. But, if the people of the _Flying Dutchmen_ were to discover Riley was actually a girl, she had a feeling that she would be heading to Jones' locker before she was really supposed to.

The sudden burst of noise which signaled the opening of the mess hall door alerted Riley to a new presence up on the deck. An intake of breath made Riley's eyes dart sideways. She mimed tipping a hat to Will.

"How are you handling the seas?" Will asked. There was no smell of alcohol on the man. But actually a somewhat sweet scent wafting from him. Riley shrugged.

"I've been on these waters all my life, sir." She said. Will smirked slightly.

"That's a treat," he murmured, "Where are you from, Riley Sterling?" Riley was silent for a moment.

"I'm not exactly sure, sir. My parents traded me when I was young." Will looked at her and laughed.

"Then we're in the same boat, no pun intended." He whispered, looking hard at Riley. "I was rescued form a shipwreck when I was just a lad. I was raised as a blacksmith's apprentice for most of my life." His face had turned up and was looking at the stars.

"So, how did you come into this profession?" Her voice drawled out the word "profession" as if she wasn't sure what to title Will. She turned her face and glanced at Will. He looked so lost. In the nighttime, his eyes seemed clouded. Riley was just now noticing the dark bags under his brown eyes.

"Captain? Sir?" Riley closed the small space between the two, "Will?" She whispered gently. Will turned his head towards her and Riley couldn't even begin to interpret the emotions that swirled in the depths of his eyes.


End file.
